Apparatus for joining fabric



June 24, 1958 D. WISE 2,840,020

I APPARATUS FOR JOINING FABRIC Filed Oct. 1, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. DAN/EL WISE BY 9m 5% A 77'0P/VEY June 24, 1958 D. WISE APPARATUS FOR JOINING FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 00 l, 1956 INVENTOR. DAN/EL W I55 m M APPARATUS non JOINING FABRIC 7 Daniel-Wise, Reading, Pa. Application October 1, 1956, Serial No. 613,111 1 Claim, (ct. 112- 152 This invention relates to the novelmodification of a sewing machine as well as to anew construction of presser foot employed. The novel method of securing two fabric portions and an intermediate joining strip to one another in one operation which may employ the apparatus of this application is claimed in a divisional application, Serial Number 674,003 filed July 19, 1957. v p

In many clothingmanufacturing" operations, particularly where relatively light materials are used as in the manufacture of underwear, it is necessary, in order to construct the garment, to. join ,two portions of fabric to one another. In such construction the joined portion is obviously weaker than the remainder of the garment. In order to prevent untimely failure of the garment and to improve the wearing quality thereof, a reinforcing strip may be provided along the join so as to reinforce the weak portion. This construction is shown in the United States patent to Levy No. 560,296.

conventionally, however, in order to' carry out this construction, it has been necessary to first stitch the fabric portions together and then, after suchstitching is performed, to sew the reinforcingstrip along the joint or seam. Thus two separate and distinct operations have been required.

Under the present invention, on the other hand, the

reinforcing strip is joined to the fabric portions and the portions are joined to one another in a single operation. Thus a considerable saving results in both labor and material and permits the garment produced to be sold at a lower price. i

The modified sewing machine used to carry out this invention includes a supporting frame, a plurality of parallel vertically reciprocatingly movable needles, a folding device having a longitudinal guide channel narrowed at its terminal end, and a presser foot.

The presser foot itself is formed with a base portion which is disposed above the fabric portions to be joined together. The base portion is provided with an opening therein. A holding portion is above the base portion and is adapted to hold a fabric reinforcing strip slidably therewithin.

The invention will be further described by reference to the accompanying drawings which are a part of this specification. It is pointed out, however, that the specific form shown therein is merely illustrative and various changes and modifications may obviously be made within the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed.

Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of a sewing machine which has been modified to carry out the method of this invention and which shows the operation of such method.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of a portion of the presser foot which may be used in this invention.

Fig. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view of two fabric portions secured to one another by a joining strip with the forward portion thereof in unsecured relationship so as to show the details of construction.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through two fabric sections and a joining strip secured to one another in accordance witlrtliisinvention showing the details of construction.

Fig. Sis a detail view of the following device used i A I fication of this invention and a detailed description thereof as set forth herebelow the invention will be further explained. t

The sewing machine 10, which is preferably used to carry out the method of this invention, is formed with a supporting frame 26. The frame bears the conventional drive pulley 30 which in turn, by conventional linkage (not shown) vertically reciprocatingly moves the needle bar 24..v A plurality of spaced parallel needles 23 are secured to needle bar 24. Each of needles 23 is formed with a conventional eye at its lower portion (not shown). Frame 26 is formed with a lower shelf portion 28. Beneathishelf portion 28 a longitudinally movable feed (not shown) causes fabric to be moved'in the direction" of 'the' arrow.

' A conventional lower thread supply and a looper both 7 not shown) are disposed beneath shelf portion 28 as in the conventional sewing machine.

The face plate 11 of the sewing machine bears a bracket 12 which is secured thereto by screw 13. Bracket12 bears an offset portion 15 at its forward portion which .is adapted to. support folder 14. Folder or guide 14 in turn rests upon projecting portion 16a of face plate 11.

Folder 14 is formed with two turned back portions 16 which form a fabric channel. At the lowermost portion of folder 14 two inwardly turned portions 18 are provided. The overturned portions 18 converge and the delivery end of the guide 14 is thus narrowed,

The presser foot 19 of this invention is provided with a central rear opening 27 within which the needles 23 move upwardly and downwardly. A pair of toe portions 25 are also provided at the frontthereof. The bottom of said toe portions is springable by being spaced from the top portion. The foot 19 comprises two longitudinal sections, the under parts of which are springy and elastic and these sections are rigidly united, the space 27 being between the'sections at the rear of the piece 19a.

presser foot. Loop 20 serves as a holding portion and slidably holds the fabric strip as will be subsequently V explained. The loop 20 is borne by a part rigid withone side or section of the foot 19, and said part extends diagonally so that the loop 20 is maintained centrally in position over the space 29;

With the above apparatus as disclosed the method of this invention will now be explained@ A length of reinforcing strip 17 is drawn from a supply spool and passed through folder 14. The strip emerges from the bottom of folder 14 with a doubled portion 22. While in Figure 5 of the drawing, for clarity 'of illustration, the portion 22 is shown uppermost, in the dinally in lapping position across the adjacent edges of the fabric pieces.

Presser foot 19 is then lowered and the sewing machine operated. The machine causes a row of stitches to be made between the folded strip 17 and the fabric portions 7 Patented ,June 24, 1958 of the horizontal arrow, -Sincetheforwardpor'tion of the folded strip 17 has be'cii secured across' the-seam between the two pieces of; fabric 23"hy -t1iestitches 24q further movement of the pieces of fabric 23 in the direjctibn of the horizontal'arrow causesthe'strip' 1 7 tobemoved' in the samedirection thus pullingthey strip 'into the folder as shown hyuthe upper arrow. 'when' thefabric zda has passed beyond presser foot 19 the machine is stopped, the

needles to receive therebetween said folded fabric strip, the sectionseaeh having-a forward toe portion adapted to engage an edge portion of one of a pair of fabric members supported edge to edge" beneath said presser foot, an elongated transverse loop mounted on one of said longitudinal sections of said presser foot and extending across the space between said sections, and positioned below the delivery end of said guide: device.

folded strip 17 cut off and the operation is then repeated. I

claim i V V A 'sewingmachinecoinprising, in combination, a supportingframe, a plurality of parallelvertica-lly movable;

needles; a folding strip guide device angularly secured to said supporting frame with one end adjacent said needles 7 and having at saidend overturned converging edges adapted to'deliver to said needles a doubled fabric strip with downwardly folded edges; a presser foot vertically movablej in said frame, said presser foot comprising longi- References Cited inthe filed this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 251,675 Bond et a1. Dec. 27, 1881 477,341 Syrnington, et al June 21, 1892 1,157,384 Hansen Oct. 19, 1915 1,195,767 Berger Aug. 22, 1916 1,201,423 Almond Oct. 17, 1916 1,866,647 Gruman July 2, 1932 1,952,535 1 Christensen et a1. Mar. 27, 1934 -'f--:,-.' y 2,377,204 May 29, 1945 2,393,292 V w H Jan. 22, 1946 2,437,976 Seaman Mar. 16 1948 I FOREIGN PATENTS 

